Conventionally, the existence of a peeled label in a peeling unit arranged in a printing apparatus such as a barcode printer and the like is detected in the following way. First, the printing apparatus bends amount to which the label is attached at an acute angle with a peeling bar to peel off the label excluding the rear end part of the label from the mount. Next, the printing apparatus stops the operation in a state in which the rear end part of the label is left on the peeling bar, and then detects the existence of the label (hereinafter referred to as a “peeled label”) that is peeled through a sensor. If a user takes the peeled label away from the mount, the printing apparatus detects that the peeled label is taken away by the sensor. In this way, the existence of the peeled label is detected. Sequentially, if there is next printing data in the printing apparatus, the printing apparatus executes the back feed of the mount after a pre-determined time since it is detected that the peeled label is taken away to start the printing of the next label.
However, there is a case in which it is difficult to peel off the label from the mount according to the size of the label. In this case, the sensor may detect that the peeled label is taken away and therefore the printing of the next label may be started during the peeling of the label. As a result, the peeled label may be pulled back into the printing apparatus through the back feed, which may lead to a risk that the peeled label is damaged.